Metropolitan Museum Looks Toward Reopening in Late August

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York plans to reopen on August 29, the New York Times reported yesterday, June 23.

However, the Met declined to confirm the reported reopening date in an email to Hyperallergic and has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.

In May, the museum announced that it had postponed its reopening date from July 1 to at least mid-August, if not “a few weeks later.” The museum said that decision was made in keeping with New York State’s phased plan for reopening the city.

The fourth and final phase of reopening New York City, which will allow museums to reopen, is expected to begin on July 20, if the rate of infections remains low.

According to the Times, the Met Cloisters in Washington Heights is expected to open shortly after the Fifth Avenue location, although no formal date has been set. The Met Breuer will remain closed. The Breuer’s building on Madison Avenue and 75th Street (the former location of the Whitney Museum) will temporarily host the Frick Collection while the Frick’s building on Fifth Avenue undergoes renovations.

In April, the Met laid off 81 employees in its visitor services and retail departments, projecting a shortfall of $150 million. The museum’s director Max Hollein and president and CEO Daniel H. Weiss took 20% pay cuts while the salaries of 11 other museum officers were reduced by 10%.

Once it reopens, the Met will likely reduce its days and hours of activity, according to its statement in May. In addition, the museum has canceled all tours, talks, concerts, and events through 2020.